Monarda plant named ‘MON0001BHA’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Monarda  plant named ‘MON0001BHA’, characterized by its broadly upright plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large inflorescences with red purple-colored flowers; long flowering period; and tolerance to Powdery Mildew.

Botanical designation: Monarda didyma.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MON0001BHA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Monarda plant, botanically known as Monarda didyma, typically grown a container plant and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘MON0001BHA’.

The new Monarda plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Monarda plants with attractive flowers and tolerance to Powdery Mildew.

The new Monarda plant originated from an open-pollination during the summer of 2013 of an unnamed selection of Monarda didyma, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Monarda didyma, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Monarda plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination grown in a controlled nursery environment in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands during the summer of 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Monarda plant by cuttings in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands, since June, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Monarda plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Monarda have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘MON0001BHA’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘MON0001BHA’ as a new and distinct Monarda plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright plant habit.     -   2. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large inflorescences with red purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Tolerant to Powdery Mildew.

Plants of the new Monarda differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in plant uniformity as plants of the new Monarda are more uniform than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Monarda can be compared to plants of Monarda didyma ‘Mahogany’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Monarda differ from plants of ‘Mahogany’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Monarda are more freely flowering and have         larger flowers than plants of ‘Mahogany’.     -   2. Plants of the new Monarda flower for a longer period of time         than plants of ‘Mahogany’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Monarda are not persistent         whereas flowers of plants of ‘Mahogany’ are persistent.     -   4. Plants of the new Monarda are more tolerant to Powdery Mildew         than plants of ‘Mahogany’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Monarda plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Monarda plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘MON0001BHA’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of the upper surface of typical leaves of ‘MON0001BHA’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘MON0001BHA’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late spring in 21-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered structure in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Monarda production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 15° C. Plants were two years old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Monarda didyma ‘MON0001BHA’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Monarda             didyma, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Monarda             didyma, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two             months at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             creamy white in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; broadly             upright plant form; overall plant form, obovate; moderately             vigorous to vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 85.8 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 88.5 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely basal             branching habit with about ten main stems, each main stem             with about five lateral branches. Length: About 23.6 cm.             Diameter: About 4 mm. Internode length: About 7.1 cm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture and             luster: Moderately pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: Close             to 143B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 11.3 cm.         -   Width.—About 7.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Truncate to cordate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Densely pubescent and             moderately rugose; slightly glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Densely pubescent; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; pleasant, spicy.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,             close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to between 137B and N137D; venation, close to 144D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm by             3 mm. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B             occasionally tinged with close to 182B to 182C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower form, arrangement and flowering habit.—Single labiate             flowers arranged in large terminal globular spikes; flowers             face outwardly; freely flowering habit with about 230             flowers developing per inflorescence and about 10,000             flowers developing per plant during the flowering season.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering habit, plants             flower from mid-July to mid-September in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers maintain good substance             for about five days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly to moderately fragrant; pleasant, spicy.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.             Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate; curved. Color: Close to N66A;             towards the apex, close to 61B; immature calyx, close to             149D and 144A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 5.7 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8.9 cm.         -   Flower length (vertical).—About 1.7 cm.         -   Flower diameter (horizontal).—About 8 mm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 4.1 cm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Labiate; upper lip hooded; lower lip, a             single lobe; lips fused 62.5% of total length. Length, upper             and lower lips: About 3.5 cm. Width, upper lip: About 3 mm.             Width, lower lip: About 8 mm. Shape, upper lip: Lanceolate;             apex, acute. Shape, lower lip: Oblanceolate; apex, caudate.             Margin, upper and lower lips: Entire; lower petal, slightly             undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower lips, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, upper             and lower lips, lower surface: Moderately pubescent; matte.             Color, upper and lower lips: When opening, upper surface:             Close to between N57A and 61B. When opening, lower surface:             Close to N57A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 60B;             color becoming closer to 61A with development. Fully opened,             lower surface: Close to N57B; color becoming closer to 61A             with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl;             lower 85% fused into a tubular calyx. Length: About 1 cm.             Width: About 0.5 mm. Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin: Free             parts, finely serrate. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent; dull. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 149D; free parts, close to 144A.             Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 149D; free             parts, close to 197C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Color: Close to 145A to 145B.         -   Inflorescence bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About ten at             the base of inflorescence. Length: About 2.7 cm. Width:             About 1.5 cm. Shape: Ovate to narrowly ovate; apex, acute.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Glabrous; velvety.             Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 137C; proximally,             close to 183C to 183D. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 137C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two.             Filament length: About 2 cm. Filament color: Close to 70D.             Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly elliptic.             Anther color: Close to 182D. Pollen amount: Moderate to             abundant. Pollen color: Close to 4A. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 4.2 cm. Stigma shape:             Cleft, unequal. Stigma color: Close to 77B. Style length:             About 4.1 cm. Style color: Close to 77B; towards the base,             close to NN155C to NN155D. Ovary color: Close to 152D.         -   Seed and fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Monarda. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Monarda have been     observed to be tolerant to Powdery Mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum).     Plants of the new Monarda not been observed to be resistant to pests     and other pathogens common to Monarda plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Monarda have exhibited good     tolerance to rain, wind and high temperatures about 30° C. and to be     hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Monarda plant named ‘MON0001BHA’ as illustrated and described. 